THE TRENTON BULLETIN

THE TRENTON BULLETIN

Trenton Church of Christ, Trenton, Florida

The Bible is the most wonderful book anyone could ever read. Contained within its frail pages is found the eternal message of the One who has existed before time began. Holding the wealth of sixty-six books man is able to explore his beginning, his reason for living and his hope beyond the grave. No book ever produced by man can make that claim. The Bible reveals the creation of the world by the hand of an Almighty Creator. Explained upon pages of holy writ man learns of his nature and his needs. As a light shining in darkness the words of God open for man the revelation of grace, mercy and saving love. History marches through its pages as sentinels of time marking the progress of man and the failures of men seeking wisdom apart from God’s word. The Bible is a most remarkable book.

Written by different men spanning hundreds of generations with diverse backgrounds this simple yet complex manuscript of eternal wisdom unfolds the character of the Creator. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1) declares the mysteries that will be unfolded in the thousands of stories that range from a garden of paradise to the wilderness of man’s struggle with obedience to his creator. There will be times of great victory when men stand for truth and righteousness; yet many times when men turn from God’s word and find destruction and death.

The Bible is a book of grace. Measured from the love of a graceful Creator man finds he is not alone in the world. Grace is given for man’s potential and not for what man shows himself to be. A promise is given early of a seed (Genesis 3:15) that will redeem the failed nature of man and explodes upon the pages of the Bible in the nature of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:16). The early disciples of Christ describe in detail upon ancient parchments the words, deeds and character of the Creator’s Son. Jesus becomes the revealed hope of all man’s failures. The Bible sets forth the path of peace leading to the throne of God.

There is no book found among men today that can rival the depth of the Bible. Nothing written by man can go before creation and see into the mind of God; nor delve beyond the grave and peer at the endless expanse of eternity. All books are second nature to the Bible. “Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered” (Psalms 40:5). “He has made His wonderful works to be remembered … The works of His hands are verity and justice; all His precepts are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness” (Psalms 111:4,7-8).

The oldest book ever written still finds itself forgotten upon the tables of neglect and carelessness as men fail to listen to its message. How sad that in the Bible God has revealed “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3) and yet as a people we spend little time among the pillars of its wisdom. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17) and lacking the wisdom of the word of God we have little faith. We blame God for the failures in our lives when truth reveals the failure is our neglect in listening to Him. “Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalms 119:165).

The title is clearly a declaration of desperation. It describes the state one finds himself in which everything seems to be falling apart when whatever it was that held it together is gone. One then holds the ends tightly against the middle in the hope that the whole will stand together. But with nothing to bind the separate pieces together, it will eventually fall apart.

This is especially true of the family. In the beginning, God created man, and instead of giving him ten friends to satisfy his need for companionship, He instead gave the man a wife. Not long after receiving a wife, the man was blessed with children. Thus we find that the family was designed and built by God and all that God does is good. God purposed that the family be a stable institution, that the husband and wife are to remain together for a lifetime, and that the children would have certain obligations to the family, even after “leaving the nest.” The cement that God used to hold the family together is composed of a blend of love and law.

A man is to love his wife as strongly as Christ loves the Church. He is to take responsibility for the raising of his children and see to their spiritual, physical, social, and emotional needs. The woman is to love and respect her husband, and she is to care deeply for her children. Her love for her husband is a stabilizing influence on him. Her love for her children is the food their souls feed on to become loving adults themselves. The love the husband has for his wife and for his children is the motivating power that leads him to be the provider and protector of those who are more vulnerable than he is. In an environment like this, the children cannot help learning to both care for and be responsible for others. When Dad and Mom are aged and need to be nurtured, the children return the parent’s love by helping them in their infirmity. And folks, when love for God and His word is added to this mixture, there is no force on the earth that can undermine or damage the family.

However, just as the mighty oak is impervious to external enemies yet it can deteriorate from within, so the family can fall apart due to internal decay. A number of forces within the family serve to weaken it until one must hold the ends against the middle to keep it intact. For example, the ease with which so many choose to divorce poisons love and commitment. People who move often or move to a great distance from other family members strain the family fabric.

People who work too long at the expense of quantity family time lose touch with each other and lose love and a sense of personal involvement as well. The same is true of those who play too much. Individual recreational activities are fun, but they should never cut into family activity time. Parents who pay others to raise their children tear down the family structure for that generation.

Aside from correcting the above problems, there are other ways to re-bond and re-cement our families back together. Consider the following:

1. Take your children to church services every time. Begin with what is important and never vary from it. I have witnessed far too many misguided parents emphasize education, school and community sports, and part time jobs over worship services and Bible classes, and then when the children leave home the parents wonder why their children abandon the church. Start with what is important and never vary from it.

2. Each family member must be taught to work to increase the value of the family name. One’s name is an inheritance from his father. Don’t just protect it, build on it and teach your children to do the same.

3. Never allow anyone in the family to become a loner. Find a way to include everyone in as many family activities as possible. Even those embarrassed teenagers who wouldn’t be caught dead in the family station wagon can be taught to have fun with the rest of the group.

4. Keep in contact with distant family members. Instead of a new boat or set of patio furniture, spend the money on letters, phone calls, and trips to visit each other. Maintain ties.

5. Never attempt to purchase a child’s love or cooperation. God decreed that we use His disciplinary plan in His word. No human organization will ever devise a better way to raise good, healthy children.

6. Respect aged persons and teach your children to do the same. A culture that mistreats the elderly is a culture that will soon fall, and deservedly so. God commands it; respect for the aged is a foundation pillar of goodness and quality.

7. Learn to both accept and delegate responsibility. As your capacity increases, so should your willingness to take on more responsibility. But, know your limits as a parent. Your children need to learn responsibility as well. It will not hurt Junior to wash dishes, clean his room, or mow the yard. Sis will not be emotionally crippled if she has to fold laundry, sweep the kitchen, or carry out the trash. Jeremiah said that it is good for the young to learn how to work while they are young.

8. Look out for each other. I do not mean tell the teacher off when she gives your child some needed disciplinary action. I mean protect each other. Be aware when someone in the family is hurting or in need. Be alert to each other’s weakness, and stand up for them when someone treats them unfairly.

We need not desperately fight a losing battle to hold our beloved family members together. The family that is crumbling can be held intact, yes even put back together better than before, if we use God’s glue – love and law.

I heard something on the radio this morning that floored me. The people on the radio program were discussing the topic of adultery. They had received information about a specific scandal going on and asked input from the listening audience. The first caller I heard grew up in a house where her father was cheating on her mother. The mother and children knew about the ongoing scandal and to hear the first caller describe her childhood was—heartbreaking. She was to the point of tears when she hung up. But the very next caller unashamedly admitted she was having an affair with two different married men! My jaw hit the floor. I thought to myself, “We (the human race) are a terrible people! Do we not care about the consequences of adultery?”

In Genesis 20 we see some serious consequences of taking another person’s spouse, but first we need to lay the foundation. Abraham and Sarah were sojourning in the land of Gerar where Abimelech was king. Abraham was afraid that the people would kill him because of his wife Sarah. So Abraham told Sarah to say that she was his sister. (Abraham had told Sarah to say the same thing back in Genesis 12:13) When Abimelech heard that Sarah was Abraham’s sister he sent for her and took her. And it was before he ever approached or touched Sarah (Genesis 20:4) that he received these warnings:

“Behold you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken, for she is a man’s wife.” (Genesis 20:3) This offense was so severe that God saw the only fit punishment was death. Although, Abimelech was not the only one who would receive this punishment “you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” (Genesis 20:7) Abimelech’s family and nation would also receive this punishment.

This punishment was fitting even though Abimelech had taken Sarah in clear conscience. He had not known she was another’s wife, but God was still going to hold him accountable. Abimelech pleaded his case with God and God answered, “Yes, I know that you have done this in the integrity of your heart, and it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore, I did not let you touch her.” (Genesis 20:6) God had provided a way for him not to sin. It was up to Abimelech to return Sarah back to Abraham.

“For the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.” (Genesis 20:18) God was not going to allow Abimelech the ability to have children even by his own wife if he committed this sin. As a king, if he had no previous children this sin would stop his lineage and bring great shame upon his name. This sin could cost him his lineage.

Therefore, the morning after God’s warnings, Abimelech rose early to tell his servants about the warnings and to send for Abraham. The servants upon hearing the warnings were “very much afraid.” And Abimelech and his servants did not want to pay the price for this sin and therefore did as God asked him to do.

“Return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, so that he will pray for you, and you shall live.” (Genesis 20:7) And he not only returned Sarah, but sent Abraham sheep, oxen and servants. “Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children.” (Genesis 20:17)

We need to be a society of Abimelech’s. A society, which fears God and the consequences of breaking his marriage law. We need to pray for our society in this matter. And if you know people (including “Christians”) caught up in this sin please warn them with the words of Paul:

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers…will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).